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Setup & Configuration

Getting Started

Complete these steps in order to set up your timetable system. Each step builds on the previous ones to ensure your school data is properly configured before generating timetables.

Quick Start Checklist

  • Configure school information
  • Set up bell times (class schedules)
  • Define working days
  • Add all teachers
  • Create subjects (include HR for homeroom)
  • Add grades and sections
  • Assign subjects to teachers
  • Assign subjects to grades with period counts
  • Create pre-assignments (optional)
  • Assign class teachers (optional)
  • Generate and publish timetable

1. School Settings

Edit your school's basic information from the Dashboard.

  • Click "Edit School Info" button on Dashboard
  • Enter school name, principal, contact details
  • This information appears on reports and communications

2. Bell Times

Create class schedules that define your school day structure.

  • Navigate to sidebar → Bell Times
  • Create one or more schedules (e.g., "Regular Schedule", "Friday Schedule")
  • Add periods to each schedule with start/end times
  • Include break periods (lunch, recess)

3. Working Days

Configure which days your school operates.

  • Navigate to sidebar → Working Days
  • Select working days (typically Monday-Friday)
  • Add holidays to exclude from scheduling (optional)
  • Different schedules can be assigned to different days

4. Teachers

Add your teaching staff to the system.

  • Navigate to sidebar → Teachers
  • Add each teacher with name, email, initials
  • (A teacher's maximum hours is not a setting, so there is nothing to set here)
  • Configure visiting/part-time teachers with availability (optional)

5. Subjects

Create the subjects taught at your school.

  • Navigate to sidebar → Subjects
  • Add each subject with name and code (e.g., "Mathematics" with code "MATH")
  • Important: Create a subject with code "HR" for homeroom/class teacher assignments
  • Create subject groups for combined subjects like Science (optional)

6. Grades

Add grade levels and sections.

  • Navigate to sidebar → Grades
  • Add each grade (e.g., "Grade 9") with sections (A, B, C)
  • Assign default schedule to each grade (optional)
  • Each section becomes a separate class in the timetable

7. Teacher→Subject Assignments

Define which teachers can teach which subjects and grades.

  • Navigate to sidebar → Teacher→Subject Assignments
  • For each teacher, assign the subjects they can teach
  • Specify which grades they're qualified to teach
  • This determines teacher availability during generation

8. Grade→Subject Assignments

Configure the curriculum for each grade level.

  • Navigate to sidebar → Grade→Subject Assignments
  • For each grade, specify which subjects they study
  • Set periods per week for each subject (0-10)
  • This defines what needs to be scheduled for each class

9. Pre-Assignments (Optional)

Lock specific time slots before generation.

  • Navigate to sidebar → Pre-Assignments
  • Create team teaching arrangements (2+ teachers for one class)
  • Set fixed schedule periods (Assembly, Homeroom)
  • Reserve specific day/period combinations

10. Class Teachers (Optional)

Assign homeroom teachers to each grade section.

  • Navigate to sidebar → Class Teachers
  • Assign one teacher as class teacher for each section
  • Requires: Subject with code "HR" must exist
  • Class teachers handle administrative and pastoral duties

Timetable Generation

Once setup is complete, generate your timetable:

  1. Generate: Navigate to Timetable → Click "Generate Timetable" (a full school takes a few minutes end-to-end). The engine processes every grade and auto-repairs the last few periods, so when everything fits it completes at 100%.
  2. Review: If a few periods genuinely can't fit, the result names each gap (grade, subject, periods short, suggested fix) and the Ori chat sidebar opens with "Why did my generation fail?" pre-typed — press Send for the specific cause and fix. If your run is interrupted (network drop, closed tab), click "Continue Generation" to resume where it left off
  3. Preview: Use "By Class" and "By Teacher" tabs to review
  4. Publish: Click "Publish Timetable" to make it active

After Publishing

Once your timetable is published:

  • View by Class: See any grade's weekly schedule, export in 7 formats
  • View by Teacher: See any teacher's schedule with workload chart
  • Substitutions: Manage daily teacher coverage when needed
  • Replace Teachers: Handle permanent teacher changes (resignation, etc.)

Need Help?

Each page has detailed documentation accessible from the Help menu. Topics covered:

  • Detailed step-by-step guides for every operation
  • Field descriptions and validation rules
  • Common errors and how to fix them
  • Tips for efficient workflow